Pumas set for semi’s clash

Since their move to the Lowveld, this team has excelled in everything they do. Their success started in earlier the year with the Vodacom Cup, ending on top of their region’s log and succeeding to the final – a catfight in which they were crowned runners-up against a very strong MTN Lions pack.
Yet, this did not break the morale of the Stonehouse troops as their focus was already on the Currie Cup title, not only to reach top of the log, but to have the opportunity to move up to the premier league.
Friday afternoon the Lowveld boys did their sponsors, supporters and themselves even more proud by ending their league campaign with a perfect score, 14 wins in 14
matches.

In the history of the Currie Cup First Division, no team has achieved this feat before. Further more, the top individual points scorer come from their ranks – Carl Bezuidenhout with 176 points (three tries, 40 conversions, 26 penalties and one drop goal) and the second top try scorer of the season, Rosco Speckman on 11 tries. JW Bell scored nine tries for his fourth log position.
Their league matches concluded in Kempton Park on Friday afternoon when they totally outplayed the Falcons on their home turf. The Pumas dominated the match from the first minute. By half time, they were already 29-7 ahead.

The Falcons had no answer to the Pumas’ domination as Speckman and Ashwin Scott scored three tries each, Bell scored two and more tries were added by Stefan Watermeyer and Doppies le Roux.

Bezuidenhout was successful with seven of the conversions and a penalty for the final score of 67-17. Former Puma and now Falcons captain, JP Mostert scored two of his team’s tries and Bertie Powell also visitied the goal line with Kyle Hendricks successful with one goal.
But all the the hard work of the season boils down to two games of which the first
is this Friday at 16:30 when the Steval Pumas will meet the SWD Eagles in the
semi-final.
“I’m very proud of the boys. In the league we had some tough matches where we made it difficult for ourselves, but we pulled through to reach the top log position. But, all the hard work we’ve put in these past months boil down to two games, the semi-final and then the final.
This week we’ll work hard on our finishing, because the Eagles have shown that they can upset the rest of teams this year. We need to be clinical with everything we do,” coach Jimmy Stonehouse said.

He appeals to all the Steval Puma supporters to flock to the stadium on Friday afternoon to back their team. Kick-off is at 16:30. The EP Kings will take on the Leopards in Port Elizabeth in the second semi-final.